In The Darkness
by 1Consumer
Summary: When trapped in the darkness for so long, never knowing if this breath would be last, could you really escape and truly say "I'm fine"? Could you even speak at all? A desperate attempt to escape the clutches of Master. An attempt that would only get two out of three out of the monster's lair. Could the twins ever forgive their older brother for his actions that night?
1. Prologue: Not Forgiven Forgiven

Prologue: Not Forgiven Forgiven

The wind screamed as it raced through the nearly bare trees, heavy waves of rain crashed down onto the already flooding earth, streams of water rolling down the mountain going against me and my two siblings who had long since become cloaked in mud and ever more so as it splattered up onto us as we ran up going ever faster in an attempt to escape the shadowy figure of Master as he came closer to us.

I looked back, ignoring the closeness of the shadowy form of Master just a few close yards away in favor of seeing 02 Nee-chan, my little sister, and 03-Niichan, my little brother and 02-Neechan's younger twin. In the continual lightening I could see their golden eyes that were bright as the flashing lights above us. I was saddened when I was unable to see the color of their blond hair from beneath the mud and rain, their small pale hands holding fast to mine even as they trembled and threatened to fall away. 03-Niichan stumbled as he was hit with yet another coughing fit, this time mud and water flew from his mouth along with a darker substance I didn't wish to think on but I found myself doing so regardless. "01-Oniichan? Is 03-Niichan gonna be okay?" 02-Neechan asked with all the innocence you would expect of the six year old child she was, her small voice hardly reaching my ears over the storm around and within. I was at a loss as I pushed myself to go faster.

Do I tell her the truth? Do I lie? Do I even say anything? Do I even know what's going on myself? Do I even want to know?

I looked down to 03-Niichan who was still coughing as I pulled him along, mildly relieved and yet more concerned I'd lost sight of Master and swallowed against my mucus filled throat, a few short coughs escaping me as well. I was about to open my mouth to say something, what, I still hadn't figured out, when 03-Niichan cut me off when he gave a nod and a bright smile, letting us know he was fine. 03-Niichan was usually quite the talkative one but as of three days ago he hasn't uttered a word. Not since he returned. . .

02-Neechan smiled a little and helped our brother to stay on his wobbling legs, easily excepting what I assumed was the lie of our dear brother's smile. I could only hope it was true even though the part of me that was realistic told me otherwise. 03-Niichan often lied about his health so as not to worry me and his Oneechan. After all no one could be fine after being trapped in the darkness for so long. It made me feel sick. What kind of big brother couldn't be trusted by his little brother? What kind of big brother needed to be protected from this cruel world by his little brother who didn't even reach his shoulders?

02-Neechan looked over her shoulder and screamed for me to look out as she jumped and knocked me and 03 - Niichan out of the way of Master's strong hand as it seeped out of the darkness to grab me. I pulled my brother onto his feet and ran, our sister on our heels.

In the flashes of lightening that lit that moonless night sky I could make out Master's green eyes as they followed our movements and his gleaming white teeth that were barred into a vicious growl as he stalked angrily forward, wanting nothing more then to take his "precious children home".

"RUN!" I shouted to 02-Neechan who was struggling up a particularly slippery portion of the mountain as I scooped 03-Niichan, who had started coughing once again, into my arms and began running, 02-Neechan struggling to keep up. Even as I ran for my life I became worried for my brother, his body was far smaller then it should be and it was so light. . . He still hasn't told us what happened for the month he was gone. 03-Niichan was always fighting to protect me and 02-Neechan, regardless of the fact I was the elder even if it was only by two years, and he often got in trouble for it. I only wish I was there more for them. I wish I was a better brother.

I wish I was something beside useless.

"AHHHH!" 02-Neechan screamed as she slipped down the mountain right into Master's waiting grasp. 03-Niichan continued to cough even as tears rolled down his face as he reached weakly for our sister. "TOSHIKATE!" 02-Neechan screeched as she struggled within Master's arms. She whimpered and began crying as Master struck her face so as to silence her cries for rescue. Her cries for comfort.

I looked down at 03-Niichan who was losing consciousness and whimpering for the comfort his twin offered, I couldn't even comfort him. . . How useless. . .

Suddenly a new type of tear appeared in my brother's eyes; one of pain. No doubt lingered in my mind now that he was gravely ill. . . There was only one thing to do now. . .

"Please. . . Forgive me. . ." I said as tears brimmed my eyes, refusing to fall down my soaked, pale face. I held my dear brother tightly to my chest, hoping to convey that everything would be alright, that I loved him, that this was all for his own good and ran. "NO!" Cried 03-Niichan, his voice weak and pleading as he realized exactly what I was doing. It felt good hearing his voice after so long.

I could only hope they would understand and forgive me for what I was about to do. . . I truly am a useless brother. . .

Six Years Later:

I felt a singluar drop of rain fall onto my face from the gray tinted sky above and smiled a bitter - sweet smile. It felt right and wrong for it to rain today of all days. It brought me back to what happened six years ago today, the last night I I wondered if I would live long enough to see the morning sun. After an escape plan that only got two out of three of us out of the danger, we found our way to a house on the mountain where a nice Obaasan found us and took us to the hospital.

While we were there recovering we met with the police and someone from the FBI and my sibling explained what had happened since I was, and still am, too afraid to speak, leaving out as much as possible, not telling of the painful memories that would haunt us all our lives. It was sad really, the last word I spoke was a plea for my brother not do what he did.

Since that time all those years ago we were adopted by a kind Obaachan who we called Mistress. A long time ago she was a field agent for the FBI but now she just does office work and takes care of kids like us until we are safe. I remember the first time I ever heard that kind voice she used when speaking to us, to everyone really. The the sincere tones of regret she used as she told us we couldn't tell anyone we were part of what was called the "PC" program or that we weren't really human.

It also meant we couldn't tell anyone about our search for our still missing sibling or that we even had a third sibling. . . I still haven't forgiven Oniisan for what he did that night and I won't until. . . Until we're all here and he explains himself!

_(^ ^)_

I felt no motivation to get out of my warm bed that rainy morning as I stared at a little crack in my ceiling as it made a small web of destruction just above me, just thinking about my brothers. I know this is wrong but I'm so mad at 01-Oniichan. How could he do something like that?

Why would he?

Surely there was another way. Surely there would have been a way for all of us to stay together. If only I hadn't tripped! It's all my fault! If I hadn't then 01-Oniichan wouldn't have taken my place and he would be here with me and Len-Nii and Mistress!

Author's note:

Welcome to my first book! Reading this you may wonder why it has such a high rating even though it does not contain any adult content you may even wonder if I'm putting on an innocent act just so I can shock you with some adult content thrown into my story for no apparent reason and kill the whole book for you. Well, to be honest it's because I'm a violent person. Well. . . When it comes to writing at least. In real life I'm a big softy. I won't put in anything that you shouldn't be reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Vocaloid awesomeness. Not even the plushy every fan needs. . .

Special thanks to someone I stumbled across one fateful day who has helped feed my fanfition hungry mind, encouraged me to write and helped me write something that wasn't so shallow sounding. Thank you so much Closet Lethargy!

Please rest and relax while reading and review when done just so I know that you do or do not like this! Please do be kind went posting though.

Good afternoon - 1Consumer


	2. Chapter 1: To Help A Brother

CHAPTER 1: Nearing the End

My feet felt heavy as I pushed myself to take step after step, the rain had started pouring down some time ago however I just kept up slowly walking toward the place I called home.

The word home was interesting. I'd used it time and again to describe that place. The place I was treated as an item and where I was tortured day and night just for speaking. The place where I was created. The place my brother fought tooth and nail to free us from and ended up giving us freedom in place of his.

I still remember seeing through tear filled eyes the scene that played out. . .

"Please. . . Forgive me. . ." 01 - Oniisan said gently as he held me close to his heaving chest, his breaths shallow and wheezing. I doubt he even notices it anymore. The fact he's getting weaker by the day. He had always been this way and his health was now steadily declining. I knew he was dying. We all did. But we never admitted it. To admit it is to except it, to except it would be to give up and we refused to do that.

He pushed himself to run toward Master, sliding in the pools of water as he went. When I saw the tears, the look in his eyes, heard his words ringing out in my head again and again before my foggy mind pieced together what I was to forgive him for.

I knew if I spoke I would be punished. There is no escaping the pain of punishment. But. . . I had to stop him from giving up!

I don't care how many times Master beats me or burns me or makes me clean that room or makes me do those awful things! I have to stop 01 - Oniisan from giving up his final strand of hope! I can't let him!

I have to. . . his small strand of hope was. . . was the only thing. . . the only thing that kept us together! It wasn't just his wishful thinking! It was our hope and I would not let him throw that away.

"NO!" I screamed, my voice no stronger than the fallen leaves laying on the ground as helplessly as I laid in my brother's tight, comforting embrace as he threw himself and me into Master, knocking him to the ground with an enraged shriek from Master. 01 - Oniisan pushed me and 02 - Oneechan to the side as he fought with Master. "02 - Neechan! Go! 03 - Niichan is very sick! I'll catch up so just go! Hurry!" 01 - Oniisan said as he tugged Master toward a cliff like drop that was four feet tall and lead down one of the steeper parts of the mountain. 02 Oneechan gave a nod, taking my hand and dragging me behind. I tried to stop her, to tell her that he didn't plan on catching up, to tell her he needed help more than I ever would, to tell her that our brother needed us now more than ever before but I couldn't find the strength for it. My body was too weak from the escape.

My eyelids felt so heavy and I fought to keep them open, watching blearily as the distance between me and 01 - Oniisan grew. Watching as the Master and my brother tumbled, rolling down the drop, down the mountain to where I nearly lost them through the trees.

I watched as my brother stood beside Master. Just stood there looking at me with longing eyes. He raised his hand and allowed his long pale fingers to sway gently side to side.

He was waving goodbye! Like. . . like. . . he didn't expect to catch up. He wasn't even trying. I knew he didn't expect to catch up but he could try. He always told us to try our best to do the right thing! Wasn't being with us the right thing to do?

Why? Why isn't he running? Master can't even sit up and yet. . . he's just standing there, saying goodbye.

He did exactly as I thought he would but it still hurt. It still hurt to see someone you love stay behind, where you won't know if they'll live or not. . .

As my teary eyes slid shut against my will I thought one word. Just one, and I thought it again and again every day from that day forth.

Why?

_(^ ^)_

"RIN - CHAN!" I sighed as Mistress's excited voice reached my ears. She knew me and Len - Nii always felt down around this time of the year and always did everything she could think of to cheer us up. She even set the kitchen on fire in hopes the commotion, excitement, seeing our fire fighter friends laughing at the whole situation and making jokes about how you shoudn't put piles of origami chickens on the stove and turn it on would cheer us up. That was the day she found out Len - Nii has a fear of fire. It took eight people five hours to get him out of the attic. Yup, that happened.

"Yes Mistress?" I asked as I bowed to her from my door. I flushed a little knowing she'd tell me, like she does every time, that there is no need to bow every time I see her. But man, habits are hard to break.

I was shocked when that wasn't what she did. She took a firm hold of my shoulders and shook me back and forth as if I were some kind of rag doll, my head flopping this way and that making loud cracking noises. "RIN - CHAN! They found him! They found your brother!" She let go of me and bounced around the halls, her arms wrapped around herself in a hug as her frizzy red hair bounced around even flying inside her smiling mouth and wide purple eyes. She always was a carefree person. I still shutter when I think about how coolly she took down a machine gunner with a hair band and a water bottle.

I fixed the red clips that Mistress gave me and flattened the hair that fell loose from my ponytail when Mistress again shook me. "Where'd Len - Nii wander to this time? Don't tell me he ended up all the way in Osaka again." I huffed, imagining Len - Nii getting his head stuck in a tree by one of the small shrines in Osaka. Mistress shook her head. "Not that brother!" My heart sped up. "The brother you lost! 01 - San! I got word that someone from HQ was looking through the base where you were found again when the floor gave way. It was a secret panel! It must have been overlooked! They found a map, amoung other things, with two other base sites printed on it! We got a mole into one of the bases and he says that there is often talk about the PC program!" My eyes were so wide for so long that I could not help the water that welled up, "Really?" She nodded and I threw myself into her arms. It had to be where Oniisan was. It had to be!

_(^ ^)_

I wandered into the house, knocking twice on the purpleish grey walls to let everyone know I was home. I slipped my shoes off and just sat down in the mud room, just feeling the cold wetness of my clothes against my skin, the sturdy wall holding my top half up and the warmth of the house brushing my chilled face. I let my head fall against the wall. I idly thought how nice it was that I was allowed to have short hair and not that dumb ponytail I had to wear as a kid.

That's when I heard it. It was a gentle thump, thump, thump. It just kept going, getting louder and closer every moment. I casually opened the closet and brought out one of the swords that was piled up in there and made my way toward the sound.

I figured it must be another person seeking revenge on Mistress. You would be surprised how many Mob Bosses she took down. She told great stories, real and otherwise. Her and 01 - Oniisan will get along. He always told me and Rin - Neechan stories.

I held the sword in front of myself as I turned the corner into the hall where the heavy thumping noise was resonating from. Something in my chest felt tighter. It felt like this wasn't what I thought it was. It seemed quieter suddenly, the buzzing of electricity overwhelmed my senses when I stoppped dead in the hall.

When I saw what, or rather who, was making the sound I dropped the sword from my hands which had already begun to shake. It can't be. No. Please no. I can't. I can;t handle it!  
I before I knew it I had bowed deeply out of habit, praying that this was a nightmare. A fever dream. A sick joke even. There was just no way.

"Is that any way to treat your Master?" I trembled as Master's black boots appeared in my line of sight. I swallowed closing my eyes tightly, completely frozen in a bowing position.

I allowed Master to push me to my knees and put my forehead to the floor. "Aren't you going to say hello?" Master asked in a mocking tone, knowing I feared speaking espiecially with Master around. "No? Well that's fine. If you spoke I'd have to punish you, after all you were always telling the others that I was a cruel person that you all needed to get away from. If all you are going to do is lie and give people bad ideas than you have no right to speak. And it's not part of your charater to speak." I nodded, showing that I agreed even though I didn't, knowing if I didn't agree I would be hurt.

"Come 03, my son awaits. He hasn't been quite right since you left. That. . . beautiful shine is gone from his eyes. I've been looking for you since you took off so you could be his friend just as you were made to be. Seems he would be happy if he had one." I looked questioningly into Master's blue eyes, trying to see what was meant by "one", what did Master mean? What is Master going to do to Rin - Neechan? Master couldn't be planning to leave her behind.

Master smirked, sensing the question. "Once that failuar is found she will be melted down and inputted into you. She is the reason you are so sick and scatter brained all the time. After all, you were supposed to be one person, how you split in two and one half be female I'll never know. I actually don't want to know. Ew. . . I'm just glad I was able to make a way to fuse you together after all this time." Master knelt down beside me, running rough fingers lightly through my hair as he tended to do. "You've cut your hair. 01's hair goes down to his knees now, even when tied up. He's really fulfiling his dreams huh." I hurriedly nodded wanting nothing more than to pull away from Master's intoxicating touch. "We'll come for the other half of you later, 01 will be delighted with his birthday gift this year." Master stood and turned to leave assuming I would follow, my hand moving toward the sword that lay mere inches from me. No physical thing stopping me from taking up the sword and killing the man who had done horrible things to me and my family! No one was cutting my flesh away so why not kill him before he gets that chance?!

But I didn't take the sword. . . I couldn't do it. . . Something more powerful than fear or Master's strong grip stopped me from returning the pain he gave me, from making him feel the same fear I felt and still feel to this day.

What stopped me was a stray thought that pushed all fear I held for Master aside. If I go with I can free 01 - Oniisan. I could help him. I could take down Master and all of the others from the inside. That thought was enough to make me stand and follow Master out the back door and into the waiting car. I briefly wondered where Rin - Oneechan and Mistress were. . .

And how they would react when they found me gone.

. . .

Room 00 of the west wing. That's what it was called. The wing known by few as -1. There were four 00 wings in "the Minotaur's labyrinth", or more commonly called "the labyrinth". Each 00 wing is a no go zone to all unathorized personel, an area where outsiders knew nothing about what was inside. My room happens to be the East wing 00, I walk the labs doing work but even I am not allowed to enter the other 00 rooms or even know what could be behind those tall, steel double doors. But until recently none of the rooms interested me because they were just the other rooms where I assumed the other highly developed PC, of whom I had never met, were kept. But I was wrong. Only the East, North and South 00 wings have PC. The West is a mystery, one of the many that surrounded this place. If that was all I knew I probably still wouldn't care but. . .

I've seen mysterous tables covered with lumps and sheets be sent in and come out with nothing. I see people, plants, animals all enter but never exit. If there is a person who comes out of the wing they are dripping head to toe in blood, their eyes wide and void, mouths open with gentle whimpers for help coming out between breathless gasps. Every person who came out would say the same things: the blood, the horror, the gore, do not ever open the door. And that's when they'd say negitive one. As if the words meant something special. That I should know.

I had just learned the nickname of the 00 West wing last month and since then I can't stop thinking about 03 - Niisan. I can't help but think he said something about it. That -1 meant something. . .

I went into my lab, mind heavy laden with thoughts of the West wing and my siblings who's faces are mere blurs in my memories.

I lifted up a small rabbit and felt my heart ache. When you work in a lab that's purpose is to create there's one thing you do more than anything and that is destroy.

I set the fluffy black and white rabbit into the glass case imbedded in the huge machine and flipped the switch. The sounds of grinding gears sickening me as steam clouded the glass making it impossible to see.

This would be the twelveth rabbit I tested the machine on.

I just hoped that this one lived.

I waited and watched for a whole hour before the machine let out a whistle, the lid on the glass case popping open, steam rolling out.

I braced myself for a bloody mess and looked inside. My mouth dropped open when I saw the rabbit I put in had been reduced to the size of a mouse.

I did it. . .

I did it! I was able to shrink an animal and have it live!

Any day a test went right, any day a life wasn't lost while in my care was a good one to me. . .

I sat in my lab chair and just held the sleepy form. Nothing could ruin this day.

"Happy birthday." I tensed sightly at Master's voice and turned around to face him, the rabbit shielded in my hands. "Welcome back Father. How was your trip?" I asked with a slight bow, calling Master what he forced me to call him. "It went perfectly of course. I got you a gift while I was out, wait until you see." He said with a smirk, head jerking to the side, a signal for someone to enter.

Who entered was not a member of Scarlet. I just stared at the golden eyed, golden haired boy before me as he tried a shakey smile. He wordlessly lifted his hand to his forehead and saluted me before going completely still. My heart stopped. Was that. . .?

I saw water pooling in my own eyes as I dropped the rabbit in a box and ran for who could only be my brother. I pulled the wirey boy into my arms. "02 - San!" His arms wrapped around me with a tremble, returning the hug. "I missed you so much. . ." I whispered, refusing to let go. "Aren't you going to hug daddy too?" At that moment hugging Master didn't seem as terrible as normal and I found myself hugging him. The hug was short but I was in such a good mood it didn't bother me.

"I'm so happy to see you in such a good mood son. Enjoy your gift." I was so happy when Master left us alone I didn't even know what to say to him. There were so many things I wanted to ask him I didn't know where to start!

"03 - San, do you stilll not speak? How did you get here?" I asked with a little worry. He didn't move. He just stood there shaking slightly. "03 - San? Hey, what's wrong?" I put my hand on his shoulder and he became as jelly and melted onto the floor. "03 - San!"

Author's note:

So. . . Yeah. I'm back. I hadn't meant for this chapter to come out so late but life and work and being sick got in the way. Oh, and I do apologize for leaving this chapter off on a cliff hanger but I wrote most of this between the hours of 2:00 and 5:00 AM because I was making bread and was awake and alone with a lot of time so I'm sorry about spelling errors and little bunnies. I hope you like the bunny. I got in one of my I have to hug something moods so bunnies and hugs were added. The next chapter has some. . . darkness. You'll hear more about what Scarlet is and the West wing probably won't be brought up for a few chapters and we get to see what happens when the adopted child of an FBI agent goes missing and all that good stuff. Now time to thank my lovely Closet Lethargy who left a review! I am so happy that you enjoyed it! I hope this chapter meets everyone's expectations. And don't worry everyone! Whether you want to hear from me or not you'll be seeing me 'round. If you have a Vocaloid book or know of a good one leave the name in a review and I'll check it out! Thank you lovely people for the loving support. P.S please send hugs. They make me happy!

\\(^-^)/


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